Arturo O'Farrill & Chucho Valdés - Familia Affair: Tribute to Bebo & Chico (2017) [Official Digital Download]

Familia Tribute To Bebo and Chico is an awe-inspiring collaborative album between Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdez. Spanning three generations of musicians, the project is a tribute to the musical legacy of their fathers: Dionisio Ramón Emilion “Bebo” Valdés Amaro and Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill. The first half presents a blending of Afro-Cuban music genres, jazz idioms, and Haitian meringue, and overall is reminiscent of Latin jazz compositions of the 1950s-90s. The large ensemble instrumentation is a reminder of the Cuban dance bands and the jazz big band traditions, setting brass against saxes on a bed of Afro-Cuban rhythms. The second half of the album introduces the voices of the third generation (ensemble) with compositions influenced by current trends in jazz—odd meter, hip hop, funk, etc.—mixed with Afro-Cuban genres—danzón, songo, and other rhythmic patterns.

The album opens in a celebratory fashion with the tune “BeboChicoChuchoTuro,” which is a joyous Haitian meringue, beginning with an extremely rhythmic piano cadenza that sets up the carnivalesque feeling in the ensemble. The lush harmonies in the horn section create a festive feeling while the rhythm section invites listeners to dance and stomp their feet. On “Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters” we encounter the meeting of the second generation, Chucho and Arturo, with the melodious and virtuosic playing of the third generation: pianist Leyanis Valdés, drummer Jessie Valdés (later on “Recuerdo”), trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, and drummer Zack O’Farrill. The improvised solos, between each soloist, display the versatility and musicality of both families.

The later “Recuerdo” adds a warm almost nostalgic sensation, with its medium tempo and surprising rhythmic superimpositions, creating an intimate space for listeners. On “Pura Emoción,” and “Para Chico,” Chucho Valdés and Arturo O’Farrill perform two heartfelt solo piano pieces filled with emotion as they pay homage to their fathers. The final song “Raja Ram” presents an unexpected twist with the addition of musician Anoushka Shankar, who plays an electrified sitar solo that doesn’t disappoint the listener.

Familia Tribute To Bebo and Chico serves as a historical marker of the legacy between the Valdés and O’Farrill families, paying tribute to both old and new influences in Afro-Cuban music and jazz. Reviewed by Jamaal Baptiste

TRACKLIST

CD1
01. BeboChico
02. Three Revolutions
03. Ecuación
04. Tema de Bebo
05. Pianitis
06. Father, Mothers, Sons, Daughters

CD2
01. Run and Jump
02. Recuerdo
03. Gonki Gonki
04. Pura Emoción
05. Para Chico
06. Con Poco Coco
07. Raja Ram